ROSSLYN, Va.—The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), published the interventional x-ray standard XR 27-2012 User QC Standard, which helps imaging facilities conduct quality testing and monitoring of x-ray equipment used for interventional procedures. XR 27 is the second standard that MITA has released in the past two months to enhance patient safety.

“Medical imaging manufacturers are committed to the development of the safest, most advanced technologies,” said Gail Rodriguez, Executive Director of MITA. “This standard further enhances patient safety by adding quality-control measures in both the testing and ongoing monitoring of interventional x-ray equipment. MITA is pleased to collaborate with our imaging community partners, such as the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Society of Interventional Radiology, to develop and publish this important safeguard, adding to an already robust set of safety standards.”

The XR 27 standard will help qualified medical physicists validate equipment performance by providing an essential set of equipment controls and quality tools. Quality control user interfaces will provide controlled access for x-ray dose-related constancy testing, access to and export of imaging data, electronic documentation of dose-related parameters in exam protocols and direct access to radiation dose structured reports.

XR 27 is available for download at no cost by visiting NEMA’s website. A hardcopy may be purchased for $120 by visiting NEMA’s website or by contacting IHS by phone at 800-854-7179 (within the U.S.) or 303-397-7956 (international), or by visiting global.ihs.com.

NEMA is the association of electrical equipment and medical imaging manufacturers, founded in 1926 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Its member companies manufacture a diverse set of products including power transmission and distribution equipment, lighting systems, factory automation and control systems, and medical diagnostic imaging systems. Worldwide annual sales of NEMA-scope products exceed $120 billion.